Folding bed



(No Model.)

I. osero'o-n- FOLDING BED.

No. 416,010. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC OSGOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,010, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed August 27, 1888. Serial No, 283,883. (No model.) I

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC OSGOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had. to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My present invention relates more particularly to that class of folding beds commonly known as wardrobe-beds, and in which the frame that supports the bedding is adapted to fold upward into a main vertical casing when not in use and to be folded outward into horizontal position for use.

In the construction of this class of beds as at present commonly practiced it is customary to pivotally connect the head portion of the bed-frame with the main casing and to provide this head portion with counterbalanceweights removably attached thereto, so that the head portion of the bed-frame may be properly eounterweighted to compensate for the excess of weight of the main portion of the bed-frame on the opposite side of the pivotal points.

My present invention has for one of its obj ects to provide improved means whereby the bed-frame and the main case may be pivotally connected together.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of removable weight whereby the counterbalancing of the bed-frame can be more readily and accurately effected. In the construction of this class of folding beds it has also been heretofore customary to provide the head-board of the bedframe with a fixed weight and also with a suitable Wooden cleat that serves to retain the removable weights in position.

A still further object of my invention is to so construct and arrange the fixed wei ht or weights of the head-boards that the necessity for the employment of the wooden cleat may be avoided. In wardrobe-beds it is also customary to provide the upper part of the in closing casing with stops against which the side rails of the bed-frame will contact to limit the upward movement of this frame.

Another object of my invention is to provide stops at the lower front portion of the base of the inclosing-casing to arrest the upward movement of the bed-frame, so that the side rails of the bed-frame will not be injured by contact with said stops and strain upon the upper part of the casing will be avoided. In this type of folding bed it has also been heretofore proposed to connect the head end of the bed-frame with the front part of the main casing by means of coiled springs, which served to aid in holding the bed-frame in vertical position after it had been turned upward into the inclosing-casing, and which aided also in turning the bed-frame into such upright position. As the weight of the bedframe is chiefly thrown upon the operator when the bed-frame is brought approximately to a horizontal position as it is unfolded, or as it is about to be turned upward into the casing, it is very desirable that some means should be employed to relieve the operator from strain at such time; and to this end my invention has for a further object to so locate the coiled springs that extend between the head end of the bed-frame and the base of the main casing that these springs shall exert considerable force at the time that the bed-frame isbrought to approximately its horizontal position or being lifted therefrom.

With these several objects in view my in vention consists in the various novel features of construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view in central longitudinal section through the main inclosing-easing and a portion of the bed-frame. Fig. 2 is a View in horizontal section through the main inclosing casing, the bed-frame being turned into upright position. Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation with the parts in the positior shown in Fig. 1. Fig. at is an enlarged detai view of the journal-plate. Fig. 5 is an en larged detail front View of the journal-heal ing plate. Fig. 0 is a view on line 5 5 of Fig 1. Fig. 7 is a detail enlarged perspective vie? of the loop and strap for holding the ends the coiled springs. i

. strain.

A designates the bed-frame that serves to support the bedding, and B denotes the main inclosin gcasin g, within which said bed-frame is adapted to fold when turned into its upright position.

The general construction and arrangement of the bed-frame A and inclosing-casing B are of usual or suitable character and need not be more particularly defined. In order to secure a simple, strong, and effective pivotal connection between the bed-frame A and the inclosing-casing B, I have provided the improvedconstruction of journal-plate and bearing-plate illustrated more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The journalplate C is provided upon its outer face with an elongated pivot stud or rib c, the lower portion of which is preferably curved or rounded, as at o, and the back or rear face of this journal-plate is by preference provided with a round lug or boss 0 adapted to enter a suitable seat cut for this purpose in the side of the bed-frame. The journalbearing plate D, that co acts with the journal-plate O, is provided upon its outer face with a rib 01, preferably of the shape shown, and having a seat or depression d, within which the rounded end of the stud or lug o of the journal-plate will rest when the parts are in position for use.

It will be understood that in practice a journal-plate will be attached at each side of the bed-frame near its head portions, and a corresponding journal -bearing plate will be attached upon the inner face of each side wall of the main casing in proper position to receive the stud or rib c of the journal-bearin By reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings it will be seen that when the bed-frame is in proper position with respect to the main casing the rounded end of each elongated stud or rib a will rest within the seat or depression (1 of its corresponding bearing-plate.

My purpose in forming the bearing-plate C with an elongated stud c is that not only am I thereby enabled to form a very small hearing point or journal upon which the bed-frame will turn, but while attaining this advantage I also secure great strength for the journal by reason of the extension of the metal of the stud or rib in the direction of the line of So, also, when the bearing-plate is provided upon its rear face with a boss 0 it is obvious that such boss, when fitted within an appropriate seat in the bed-frame, will cooperate With setscrews that pass through the holes 0 of the bearing-plate in holding this plate securely in position.

Upon the head-board A of the bed-frame is attached by bolts a the permanentweights E, and above these permanent weights are held the removable weights h, these permanent and removable weights serving to properly counterbalance the excess of weight in that part of the bed-frame upon the opposite side of its pivotal points. Instead of retaining these removable weights F in posit-ion upon the head-board A by means of a wooden cleat, as has been heretofore customary, I prefer to form the permanent weights E with a rabbeted upper edge 6, adapted to receive the lower edge f of the removable weights, while the upper edge of these removable weights is retained Within a suitable guardstrip G, affixed to the inclined head-board A near its top. By thus arranging the permanent weights E in such position that they shall engage with the movable weights F the necessity for the employment of a wooden cleat or like holding-strip for the lower edge of the removable weights is avoided and the expense incident thereto is saved.

As it is desirable in this class of beds to counterbalance the weight of the bed-frame to a nicety, I form the removable weights E of such shape that the greater part of their weight shall be upon one side of a line bisecting their horizontal centers. It is obvious that by thus forming the weights a variation in the counterbalancing of the bed-frame can be readily effected by merely reversing the position of the weights upon the inclined head-board, so as to bring their heavier portion uppermost, and consequently at a point farthest from the pivot-points orfulcra about which the bed-frame turns.

Instead of providing the main casing with a stop or stops near its upper portion for arresting the swinging movement of the bedframe when it is turned to an upright position, I have provided stops H for such purpose, attached to the baseof the main casing below and in front of the pivot-points on which the bed-frame turns. My object in thus providing a stop below and in front of the points on which the bed-frame turns is to avoid all danger of marring the bed-frame incident to the employment of a stop or stops that engage with the side rails of said frame, and as well also to avoid throwing anystrain upon the upper part of the main casing, which does not possess the same strength to resist strain as does the base of this casing. I prefer to employ a stop H near each end of the base of the main casing, although one slot only may be used; and it will be seen that when the frame is turned to an upright position the head end of this frame will contact with the stops. I have shown the stops II as provided with cushions 7L upon their faces, although these need not necessarily be employed.

To the end of the bed-frame A and beneath the head-board A are the loops I, that are each held in position by means of a suitable strap I, that is screwed to the under side of the bed-frame, this strap 1 being provided with a bent portion (see Fig. 7) forming an open angular seat that serves to receive the angular bar of the loop. My purpose in providing the strap and the loop with an angular seat and bar, respectively, is to enable this loop to be held constantly and securely in outward position, so that when the coiled IIO spring K is attached to the loop all danger of the contact of this spring against the bed frame will be avoided. lhe coiled springs K, that are attached to'theloops 1 011 the under side of the bed-frame, have their opposite ends connected to a similar loop fastened, as at (R, to the lower part of the base of the main casing at its front. It will thus be seen that the coiled springs, when in proper position, will extend from the head end of the bed-frame to a point near the front of the base portion of the main casing, and consequently will stand at such angle with respect to the bed-frame and its pivot-points when this frame is being turned to or from a horizontal position as to most effectively exert their force to relieve the operatorfrom the weight of the bed-frame. So, also, it will be seen that when the bed-frame A is turned into an upright position, the coiled springs K will assume an approximately horizontal position, and will thus effectively aid in holding the bed-frame in proper place with respect to the main casing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding bed, the combination, with the main casing and the bed-frame, of a journal-plate C and a bearing-plate D, for pivotally connecting said casing and bed-frame, said journal-plate being provided upon its outer face with an elongated pivot stud or rib c, and said bearing-plate being provided upon its outer face with a rib (Z, forming a seat (1, to receive the lower end of said elongated pivot stud or rib c, substantially as described.

2. In a folding bed, the combination, with the main casing and with the bed-frame pivoted with respect thereto, of reversible headweights for said bed-frame having a greater part of their weight at one side of their horizontal centers, whereby, when the positions of the weights are reversed, as set forth, the downward pressure upon the head of the bedframe can be varied, substantially, as described.

3. In a folding bed, the combination, with the main casing and with the bed-frame pivoted with respect thereto, said bed-frame havin g a head-board A, of removable weights having reduced portions f and a permanent weight extending from side to side of the bed-frame on the outside of said head-board, said permanent weight overlapping the lower reduced portions of said removable weights, and a suitable strip G, overlapping the upper edges of said removable weights, substantially as described.

4. In a folding bed, the combination, with the main casing and with the bed-frame pivoted with respect thereto, of a permanent head weight or weights extending from side to side of the bed-frame and rabbeted to receive the edges of the removable head-weights, removable head-weights having reduced portions to enter the rabbeted space of the permanent Weights, and a suitable retainingstrip G, substantially as described.

ISAAC QSGOOI).

Witnesses:

GEO. P. FISHER, J13, I. B. CARPENTER. 

